Marathon Pundit: Dodge City has got khat

Cathine, also known as khat, is a commonly used drug in Somalia.

Could an alleged incident that took place in Dodge City, Kansas portend the spread of cathine in this country?

Dodge City police arrested five men earlier this month for alleged possession of a little-known drug.

Mohamed Ali, Hasssam Jama, Dahir Ibrahim Wais, Ahmed Yusuf and Ahdiwahid Yusuf were arrested July 4 on suspicion of possessing cathine, more commonly known as khat. The drug's effects are similar to but less intense than those associated with methamphetamine or cocaine.

Police Chief John Ball told the Globe on Thursday that Wais is from Dodge City, and the other four men hail from St. Cloud, Minn. The four had brought Wais from St. Cloud back to Dodge sometime around July 4.